Getting Started with Team Explorer Everywhere and Team Foundation Server
You can interact with Visual Studio Team Foundation Server by using one of several client applications for Team Foundation. All clients require that you connect to a server that runs Team Foundation Server and select a team project. All clients require that you have the required permissions to access the team projects that you select.
Each client supports your ability to collaborate and coordinate your efforts with other team members in building a product or completing a project. You might use the following Team Foundation clients when you develop with Eclipse:
You can use the Team Foundation Server plug-in for Eclipse to access features for application lifecycle management, which include team projects, version control, team builds, and project management. Some features of Team Foundation, such as the ability to create team projects and set permissions, are not available from the Team Foundation Server plug-in for Eclipse. For those features, you must use Team Explorer in Visual Studio.
You can use Team Web Access to access most, but not all, of the functionality that is available through Team Explorer. Team Web Access also enables you to quickly find work items by using a special search syntax.
Team Web Access is automatically installed and configured when Team Foundation Server is installed.
Team Web Access - Work Item View Only enables people to create work items and allows team members to view only their assigned work items.
This view is designed to help you work with work items in Team Foundation without a client access license (CAL). With this view, you do not need a CAL to create work items or to view and update work items that you created. The work-item only view restricts functionality so that you comply with this aspect of the end-user license agreement for Team Foundation Server.
For more information about clients other than the Team Foundation Server plug-in for Eclipse, see Working with Team Foundation Clients.
The following sections summarize the tasks that you can perform with the Team Foundation Server plug-in for Eclipse and Team Web Access. A blank field indicates that the task is not supported for that client.
Common Tasks: Connection and Access
Tasks |
Team Foundation Server plug-in for Eclipse |
Team Web Access |
Work Item View Only |
Team Explorer in Visual Studio |
Related Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grant permissions to connect to team projects and access Team Foundation functions |
Yes |
||||
View permissions that are assigned to groups or users |
Yes |
||||
Connect to a team project |
Required |
Required |
Required |
Required |
|
Refresh the display and update the client cache |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
View process guidance and project portals (requires SharePoint Products) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
||
Access report site (requires SQL Server Reporting Services) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
||
Access version control (requires Team Foundation version control) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
||
Access builds (requires Team Foundation Build) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
||
Share documents and reports |
Read-only access to documents and reports |
Yes |
Yes |
Common Tasks: Tracking Projects, Progress, and Work
Tasks |
Team Foundation Server plug-in for Eclipse |
Team Web Access |
Work Item View Only |
Team Explorer in Visual Studio |
Related topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Create a team project |
Yes |
||||
Set areas and iteration paths |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
||
Add, modify, copy, and view work items |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (with restrictions) |
Yes |
|
Link work items, and attach files and hyperlinks to work items |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (with restrictions) |
Yes |
Create Relationships Between Work Items and Other Resources (Team Explorer Everywhere) |
Find work items, and create work item lists |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (with restrictions) |
Yes |
Finding Bugs, Tasks, and Other Work Items (Team Explorer Everywhere) |
Share work items and work item queries |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Sharing Work Items and Queries with Team Members (Team Explorer Everywhere) |
|
Organize queries into folders and subfolders |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Organize and Set Permissions on Work Item Queries (Team Explorer Everywhere) |
|
Restrict access to shared queries and query folders |
Yes |
Organize and Set Permissions on Work Item Queries (Team Explorer Everywhere) |
|||
Queue a build, and view build reports |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
See Also
Other Resources
Tracking Bugs, Tasks, and Other Work Items (Team Explorer Everywhere)